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Tuesday, Dec. 18. 1860 The morning [[underlined]] clear, cold [[/underlined]] - & comfortable to a well skinned (with Tuk-too) man. Thermometer minus 15° - Bar 29.900 Aurora with a few scattering beams to be seen in the N.N.E. Wind Fresh from N.W. In less than 4 days the Sun begins to return to us reaching it lowest declination 23°- 27'- 29.8" S. at noon (Greenwich Time) on the 21st Inst. Of course, it will be a long time before we realize any perceptable increase of heat from its rising Altitude. Christmas is near - within a week's grasp. Shall I be remembered then among my dear friends at Home? Will my dearest One - my little Annie & my little Grinnell be in my mind then? Will my name be upon their lips on that day? God protect these jewels of my heart. Ebierbing & Tuk-oo-li-too, my kind & noble Esquimaux friends, are expecting a visit from "Old Santa Claus" at their new Igloo on Christmas Eve. They are going to hang up a stocking, each, over the (native lamp) which stands at the head of their fur sleeping couch. I shall continue some plan by which I may be there to see the "fine fun" on that night. I asked Ebierbing the other night [[end page]] [[start page]] 1860 Dec 18th Tuesday what he hoped Santa Claus would bring him? He replied [[underlined]] 'A bottle of oil for his lamp [[/underlined]] some Caps, powder, & lead.' At that time each Igloo was almost darkened for want of oil for the Kood-le-ung (lamp). I asked him what he supposed the "old fellow" would leave me;' He replied with a wink to Tuk-oo-li-too A pipe & some tobacco? He knows I abhor both & yet not enough so but that, now & then, I will indulge a "little smoke" with him. Ebierbing enjoys a joke richly - especially when I'm the suject of it. So with Tuk-oo-li-too. Lady like in all her movements - in her conversation & address yet she enjoys smart sayings, witicisms jokes, as well as any person I ever saw. Yesterday when getting from nu-na (the shore) to the main ice, She came near falling through the broken ice. To pay me back the joke I made at her expense the other night when I went in, she took the opportunity of telling Capt. B & Ebierbing - the latter her winga (husband)]] who were assembled in the Cabin around my table how she had fallen in, or rather how narrow was her escape, & that she could see me, seemingly, standing by clapping my hands & crying 'Tuk-oo-li-too in the tarriok (Sea) pe-e-uke-pe-e-u-ad-lo' Good - very good! Of course, I enjoyed the return joke - but when Tuk-oo-li-too turned around to see how I took it, I had drawn down my face to a very long one, when she immediately recanted: 'Saying its only fun fun I was having. Look not so sad'! A capital dog sledge ride have I had this Morning - but the coming back on "old Shank's Mare" - that was not so fine! The Innuit friends of North Star Village were on hand good
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